Selection circuits



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Sept. 23, 1952 Patented Sept. 23, 1952 SELECTION CIRCUITS Peter Lincoln Law, Roseville, near Sydney, New

South Wales, Australia, assignery to Communication Engineering Pty. Limited, Cammeray, near Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, a corporation of the Australian capital territory Application August 13, 1949, serial No. 110,149 In Australia September 24, 1948 'z claims. 01. 177-3535 The invention relates to selection circuits and more particularly to` electrical circuits for the selective operation'of any one oi-a plurality oi devlces. l f

Many selection circuits are known especially in the automatic telephone field which enable a selective operation of any oneof Aa plurality of devices. In such circuit arrangements dials and rotary switches are used for selection. Although such systems are very suitable for the selective connection of individual` subscribers, they have disadvantages when used for the selection of a plurality of devices from a few fixed operators positions as for example in article-dispensing systems. -f

In such, systems articles of various kinds and/ or values are stored in suchA a way that they can be released in quick succession by devices selectively operated from an operators position. rThese systems will hardly exceed more than one thousand diiierenty items, so that three digit codes or stock numbers (000 to 999) will besunicient to identify each kind of article.y

I'Iitherto ,dialr operated; rotarymswitches have been used for this purpose, but thesel arrangements have the disadvantage that the operation of a dial in quick succession isveryineonvenient and slow and that'furthermore rotary switches are comparatively costly for suchsystems.r Other systems are known, which make use of keyboards in which ten keys are providedfor each digit ito selecta wanted article viaa relay circuit 1arrangement. These systems, however,- need thirty keys for the selectioncfcne thousand'v diilerent items and thus the keyboard becomes .rather big and unsuitable for quick operation.

rihe abovementioned disadvantagesare over come according to the invention by anyelectrical selection circuit arrangement for the selective operation according to three-digit coded designations comprising a set of key actuated contact members, arst digit relaygrouu a plurality of second digit relay groups and ya third digit relay group. The first digit relay group, ea ch oi the second digit relay groups and the third digit relay group includesjone relay foreach corresponding digit appearing in the code andV one second digit'relay group `isvprcnfided `foreach first digit inv this code. "lhe selective devices-are connected with corresponding contactspt relays of the second digitlrelay groups and op `ated by the joint operation-ot these contactsgwithcontact- S Oi'relays 0i the. ihirddiet relay; group.

tion ten keys are provided lfor Vthekeysetcorren sponding to the figures 0 to 9 and accordingly 'each relay group includes ten relays representing the digits 0 to 9 in each group. ,y

It is another feature of the invention to interpose a jumpering trarne between the relay contacts of the second digit relay groups andthe selective devices operable thereby to facilitate changes between the selective devices and'their codes for example in caseswhere articles to be dispensed are changed irornone device to another without altering theincode. Y

These and further `features of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following description in connection with the drawing showing one example oi the invention.

The selection circuit arrangement shownin the drawing is applied to an article vdispensing systemv in which each kind of article, stored in a corresponding storage bin, is designated by a three-digit code. The relays and their contacts are shown in accordance with the ,detached contact methodwhereby the contacts are not necessarily shown,V next to their corresponding relays but at the place where they are used in the circuit, thusl simplifyingthe circuit'diagram. The relays are marked with capital lettersand corresponding contacts aregmarked with the `same small letters and an additional figure distinguish" ingV the various contacts of Athe same relay.

Where a plurality of identicalrelay .circuits are used only some oi the circuits are. shown', but the relays aredistinguished byggan additional gure in front ofthe relay designation; To .indicate that tenkeys andten relaysin each .digit relay group are used the keys andrelays corresponding to the digits 0, 3 and 9 and the corresponding circuits are kshown,'the keys, and relays for the other digits being arranged in identical manner.

In the example shown provision is made for the selection of four hundred diiierentzkindsoi articles (code 000 to y399) and thus the iirst digit relay group consists of four relays only four second digit relay groups are provided.v '.Itmust be understood iiowever'that iornthe 'selection of one thousand items (code G00. to1999) ten relays in the rst digit relay group and tensecond digit relay groups would be necessary. vBefore describing the operation of lthe circuit ink detail, Vagerieral description of the'iunctiohs of` the various parts is given hereafter.

In the drawing the operators .position consists of a row of ten keys Kil K3 K'which areused to key up the,` various digits, ofthe codey designating avfparticularfkindfof article. e The operators position furthermore comprises a cancel key CK which is operated whenever one of the keys K0 to K9 has been wrongly pressed or when a storage bin is empty. Key CK energizes a release relay R to restore all circuits back to normal.

The keys KU to K3 are connected with the relay 0F to 3F, having contacts Ilf Ofl and 3f() 3fI0 respectively, of the first digit relay group. As mentioned before only four hundred items have to be selected and thus no rst digit relays are provided for the keys K4 to K9. Each of the relays is operated over.an individual Apilot f relay OFP to 3FP (with contactsfpto Sip) so that, if for example a fuse blows, Vonly one of the rst digit relays is out of order. relays operate the auxiliary slow release relay The pilot I vtacts the release Aoi" a particulararticle from its storage bin.

The CR relays are energized via a control relay C which in turn operates over its contact cl the auxiliary relay CA. When one of the relays lICR,.2CR, 3CR is `energized it closes its contact l JIcr2,:2c1f2for'3cr 2 and operates a magnet, a clutch FA which over its contact -faprepares a `circuit Y A for the rst digit changeover relay'FC-with contacts fc to jcIU. This relay operates as soon as the operator has released the key pressed for the selection of the iirst digit of the stock number. The FC relay Vswitches the connection from the'keys K0 to K9 Vover =to one of the second digit relay groups, in :accordance with they first digit selected before. -One second digit relay group corresponds with one of the first digit relays. Each of the second digit relay groups consists of ten relays and a pilot relay. Two of these relay groups '(the rst group and-the fourth group) are shown inthe drawing, the,

first group consisting of the '.tenrelays UUS 03S 09S with contacts -LDUSO to UOSIU; D380 to 033m; 09s0 to 09sIIl respectively and the fourth group consisting of the ten relays 36S 33S 39S with contacts 3080 to-30s-I; 3380 to 338m; 395B to 39'sI0 respectively. Thevcontacts 68st! to D0s9; 03st) to 03s9; =09s0 t`o109s9 of theiirstgroup and the corresponding contacts of all the other second digit -relaygroups are connected with individual terminals TBI of a jumpering frame, while other terminals TB2y frame are connected with theCR relays which initiate the release of the various articles from their respective storage-bins. VThree of these relays (ICR, Y2CR., 3DR) areshown only, but for each storage bin oneCR relay is connected with one of the terminals -TB2fof `the jumpering frame. By connecting the various terminals TBI with the terminals 'TB2 l'as shown by the dotted leads LI, L2, L3 any one of the CR relays can be related to one of the coded designations thus making the code independent of-the actual position of the article Vin the storage arrangement. In this way it ispossible to rearrange the articles in the storage bins without altering their code. Furthermore coded designations can be reserved for various kinds of articles, which will be added later tothe stoc The pilot relays OSP to 3SP with contacts Ilcp to Bsp for the second digit relay groups full the same functions as the pilot relays UFP to 3FP of the rst digit relay group. An auxiliary slow release relay SA operated by one of the pilot relays USP to 3S? prepares over its contact sa a circuit for changeover relay SC with its contacts sc toscIO.

Whenthe operator-releases its key againthe relay SC switchesfthe circuit .from the keysKI) to K9 over to the thirdfdigit relay group with the relaysUT 3T 9T. According to the key pressedV for the 'thirdfdigit selection one of the relays VIl'I '3T .IST is energized and closes the contacts Utl,l 0152 3tI,l 3t2 `StI, 9t2 respectively. A Vthir'd digit pilot relay'TP then operates its contacttpand thus completes-'a lof the jumpering oriany other devicelwhich releases an article from its storage'bin. j Over the contact IcrI, 2crI, 3c1'I respectively a locking circuit is closed for the respective CR relay over a trip contact (ITC,

2TC, 3TC) which is temporarily interrupted when an article falls out of a bin. This interruption of the Vcircuit releases the energized CR relay and the C relay. Over the contact c2 and the contact @a3 of vthe energized rela y-CA the release relay lR will operate andat-it-s -contacts -rI to r1 will break all the locking circuits for :the

various relays thus restoring all circuits-tonor al. At contact 1'5 the circuit for theCA `relay is broken so that -this relay in, turn interrupts the circuitfor relay-'Rat contactca. :The relay R is a slow'release relay rtofensure thatall relays have been yrestored "to normal vbefore vthe relay R closesagain-its-contactsrI to r1.

The operation of the-circuitfarrangement will hereafter be described in detail in lconnection with the vselection 'of an article 'with ithe vcoded designationv 309.

The operator presses first the key K3 and Athus establishes a circuit from earth over contact ce2. key K3, contact fc3,one -winding of relay 3F. relay SFP to battery. The relayl3F-closes-its contacts 3f0 to 3JIUand over contact 3f|0 closes a locking circuit from ybattery over the lsecond winding of relay 3F, contact-'fIIL Icontact 4TI to earth. The contacts 3f!! to'i3f9 prepare circuits forl the relays of the-fourthsecond digit relay group withtherelays 30S 33S 39S. The relay SFPfenergizestheLrelay FA from earth over contacty Ofpl operated contact' 3f?, relay FA to batteryand this-relayprepares over contact faa circuit -for'the relay When the operatorlr'eieases key K3, the relay SFP is deenergized andfinterrupts thecircuit for relay FA. Asthis. relaylis aslowareleasc relay it keeps its contact fa closed for a short timeafter relay 3FP.has Vreleased and Athus a circuit is completed from earth.over.contact Ofp, contact 3h0, contactfa, onewindingof -relay lFC to battery. Relay FC-.closes its contact yJcI'IJ-to establish a lockingicircuitover iitsfsecond winding, contactvfcl, contact r3 to earth. Thusrelay FC remains energizedwhen relayV FA releases and opens its contact'fa.-

At contacts fcI) to fcS the leadsl-fromithe keys K0 to K9 are switchedoverfto Lthe contacts sc toscS. 'When now the-keyKisjpressedforthe selection of the -fsecond digit a' circuitis closed from earth via contact Ca2, keyKI), operatedcontact JcII, contact son, operated'contact '3f0, relay 30S, relay SSP tobattery. Relay-'30S closes its contacts 30s0-to130`s|0 and over its 'last men tioned contact closes alocking circuitfor its second winding viaecontact-rl to earth, At-the contacts 30s0 to `3Ils'9circ1'iits'are prepared for the nal selection,as described later n;-

The relaySSP closes'a circuit for relay-'SA from earth vover con-teeth?, operatedfcontact *Sspf relay SA to battery.. yRelay SA prepares over contact sa ailcircuit for the relay SC .which is energizedas soon as the Voperator releases key K and thus deenergizes relay 3SP. Relay SC, operated from earth over the contacts Osp, 38p and sa, closes a locking circuit from earth over contact r4, contact salt, second Winding of relay SC to battery, 'so that it remains operated when the slow release relay SA releases and opens its contact sa.

At the operated contact sc to sc@ the leads from the keysKO to K9 are now switched over to the third digit relay group with the relays tT 33T 9T. The key K9 is now operated to select thethird and last digit of the code 369. This operation completes a circuit for the relay. 9T from earth overv contact Ca2, key; Kil, operated contacts fc@ and sc9, relay'9T to battery. Relay 9T closes its contact 915| and a new circuit is thus established from earth over contactrl, contact ca,.relay TP, contact Btl, relay 9T to battery, so that relay 9T remains operated n when the key KS is released again. At Contact 9t2 a further part of the selection circuit is prepared and when relay TP` closes its contact tp the selection circuit is completed from earth over contact tp, contact 9t2, contact 3039, lead L3, relay BCR, contact r6, relay C to battery. The articles released by operation of contact 3cr2 of relay 3CR are designated bythe code 309 and thus relay BCR is connected accordingly by the lead L3. with the corresponding terminal of the terminalblock TBi.

At contact Scrl a `nevv circuit for the relays SCR andC isprepared via the trip contact STC. The relay C closes a circuit for relay CA overits contact'ciand opens its contact c2 to prohibit relay R from operating when the relay CA closes its contact cat.: At contact cai'v a locking circuit for the second Winding of relay CA is completed' via contact T to earth. At contactfca2 earth is removed from the keys KG to KB to make the anism and the relays SCR and C are deenergized.

Contact 3cr! breaks the lockingv circuit further and contact 301'2 interrupts the circuit for the release mechanism so that no more articles will be released from storage. At contact cl the circuit for relay CA is interrupted but this relay remains locked over its contact cal. At contact c2 in its unoperated position a circuit is noW closed from earth over contact c2, operated contact ca3,frelay R to battery. Relay R operates its contacts rl to r. At contact rl the locking circuit `for the relaysBF and 30S is interrupted. Contact r2 would interrupt the locking circuit for relay GF and one of the relays in another second digit group in caseanothercoded designation vwas keyedup,.contaot r3 breaks the circuit for relay FC, contact r4 deenergizes relay SC, contact f5 releases the relay CA, contact r6 breaks the circuit of relay C Vand ycontact, y1*'1 interrupts the .circuitfor the relays TP and 9T in caser a Will be .described later on. v

cancellation of the selected Vcode isrrequired as` When relay CA is'thus reiease'd'at contact fb" it opens its contact ca3 and thus interrupts the circuit of relay R so that now the Whole circuit arrangement is in its initial position ready for the next selection.

To give the operator a possibility to cancel a selected code before an articlehas been released a cancel key CK is provided which, when operated, energizes the relay R. This relay interrupts all locking circuits as mentioned above and even when no article falls out of the bin and thus the trip contact is not operated contact r6 breaks the circuit for the C relay. If a code Was keyed up which does not correspond to any of the CR relays connected with the jumpering frame the CA relay'would not operate. The TP relay is in this'case released Aat contact rl. The foregoing 4description shows the invention by Way of example only. Modifications in the circuit arrangement can be made to adapt the selec-v tion circuit to individual requirements. Supervisoryl signals can be provided to indicate thel various conditions in the system and additional functions, for example value indications for the selected articlescan be performed ktogether with the selection of the articles.

I claim: v

l. An electrical circuit arrangementior the selective operation of a plurality of devices according to three-digit coded designations thereof, comprising: a set of contact members; a iirst digit relay group including yone relay vfor each first digit of said coole and selectively responsive to actuation of said contact members in accordu ancewith said rst digit;y a plurality of second digit relay groups, each group including one relay for each second digit of said code and selectively responsive to actuation of said contact' members in accordance with said second digit; one second digit relay group being provided for each rst digit in said code; a third digit relay group, including one relay for each third digit of said code and selectively responsive to actuation of said contact members in accordance with said third digit; and a plurality of selective devices electrically connected with'contacts of said. digit relays of said second digit relay groups and operable by the joint operation of said digit yrelaysrinisaid second digitrelay groups and said third digit relay group.

2. An electrical circuit arrangement for the selective operation of a plurality of devices according. to three-digit coded designations thereof, comprising: aset of contact memhers'a rst digit relay group including one relayforfeach first digitk of said code and selectively responsive toactuation of vsaid contact members in accordancefvvith said iirst digit; a plurality of second digit` relay groups, each group including one relay for each 4second digit of said codeand selectively responsive to actuation of said contact members in accordance with said second digit; onesecond digit relay group being provided for each iirst digit in said code a third digit relay group, including one relay foreach third digit ofk said code and selectively responsive to actuation of said-contact members in .accordance with said-third digit; switching means in said rst digit relay groupk to change upon Voperatiomthe connection from. the key-operated contacts to the iirst jdigit relay group over to one of the second digit relay groups; further switching means in saidsecond digit relaygroups .to change upon operationjthe connection from the key-operated contacts to all second digit relay group over to the third digit relay group; and a plurality of selective devices electrically connected with contacts of said digit relays of said second digit relay groups and operable by the joint operation of said digit relays in said second digit relay groups and said third digit relay group.

3. An electrical circuit arrangement for the selective operation of a plurality of devices according to three-digit coded design-ations thereof, comprising: a set of contact members; ay rst digit relay group including onel relay for each rst digit of said code and selectively responsive to actuation of said contact members in accordance with said first digit; a first switching relay connected and operated with any relay in said rst digit relay group; a plurality of second digit relay groups, each group including onev relay for each second digit of said code and selectively responsive to actua-tion of said contact members in accordance with said second digit, one second digit relay group being provided for each, iirst digit in said code; a second switching relay connected and operated with any relay-in any of said second digit relay groups; a plurality of selective devices electrically connected with contacts of said digit relays of said second digit relay groups; a third digit relay group, including one relay for each third digit of said code and selectively responsive to actuation of said contact members in accordance with said third digit; and a third switching relay connected and operated with any relay of said third digit group; said i'lrst switching relay transferring the connections from said key-operated contacts to one of said second digit relay groups selected by the operation of a relay in said rst digit relay group; saidsecond switching relay transferring the connections from said key-operated contacts to said third digit relay group; said third switching relay closing the circuit forv one of said selective devices depending on the joint operation of one of the digit relays in one of the second digit relay groups and in the third digit relay group.

4. An electrical circuit arrangement for the selective operation of a plurality of devices .ac-V

cording to three-digit coded designations thereof, comprising: a set of contact members; a first digit relay group including one relay for eachfirst digit of said code and' selectively responsive to actuation of said contact members inaccordance with said iirstdigit and a rst pilot relay connected therewith and operated thereby; a first switching relay connected and operated with any relay in said first digit relay group; a plurality of second digit relay groups, one group being' provided for each rst digit in said' code; a second pilot relay for each of said second digit relay groups and connected therewith and operated thereby; each of said second digit relayv groups including one relay for each second digit of said code and selectively responsive to actuation of said contact members in accordance with said second digit; a, second switching relay connected and operated with any relay-in any. of said second digit relay groups; a plurality of selective devices electrically connected with contacts of said digit relaysof said second digit relaygroups; a third digit relay group, including one relayffor each third digit of said code and selectivelyresponsive to actuation of said contact members in accordance with said third digit; and a third switching relay connected and operated with any relay ofA said third digit relay group; said first switching relay transferring theconnections f-roml said key-operated Vcontacts under the control offk said rst pilot relay to one icf said sc'ond digit relay groups'selected by the operation of a relay in said first digit relay group; said second switching relay ytransferring vthe connections from said key-.operated contacts under the control of said second pilot relay to said thirddigit relay group; said third switching relay closing the circuit for one of said selective devicesk depending on the joint operation of one of the digit relays in one of said second digit relay groups and in said third digit relay group.

y5. An electrical circuitarrangement for the selective operation of a plurality of devices according to three-digit coded designations thereof, comprising: a set o1' contact members; a first digit relay groupy including one relay for each rst digit of saidy code and. a locking circuit for said relay closed by a contactof said relay at the selective response thereof to the actuation of said contact members in accordance with said first digit; a plurality cf second digit relay groups, one groupbeing provided'for each first digit in said code and including one relay for each second digit of said code and a locking circuit for said relay closed by a contact of said relay at the selective response thereof to the actuation of said contact members in accordance with said second digit; a third digit relay group, including one relay for each third digit of said code and a locking circuit forsaid relay closed, by a contactv of said relay at the selective response thereof to the actuation of said contact members in accordancewith said third digit; and a plurality of selective/devices electrically connected with corresponding contacts of relays of said second digit relay groups and operable by the joint operation of corresponding, relays in said second digit relay groups and said third digit relay group, saidselective devices being provided with contact means and operable thereby to interrupt said locking circuits and to restore said relays to their initial position.

6 An electrical circuit arrangement for the selectiyeoperation of a plurality of devices according to three-digit coded designations thereof, comprising: aset of ten key-operated contacts; a rst digit relaygroup including one relay: for eachl iirst digit of said code connected with a corresponding;key-operatedV contact; a plurality of second digit relay groups, one group being allotted to ea-ch relay in said first digit relay group and each group including tenA relays electrically connected with contactsof'the corresponding relay-insaidiirst digitA relay group; a third digit relay group' including ten. relays, one relay being allotted to each of saidc'key-operated contacts and being electrically connectablewith them; and a plurality of selective devices electrically connected .with contacts. of the ten relays of said second digit relay group and operable by the-joint operation of said last mentioned contactsl and contacts ofthe relays of said third digit relay 7. An electrical vcircuit arrangement for the selective operation of a plurality of devices according lto three-digit coded designations thereof, comprising: a set of tenkey-operated contacts; a rst digit relay group including one relay for each first digit of said code connected with a'corresponding key-operated Contact; aj plurality of second digit relay groups-one group being a1- lotted to each relay in said first'digit relay group and-each group including ten relays electrically connected with contacts of the corresponding relay in said first digit relayv group; a third digit relay group including ten relays, one relay 'being 9 allotted to each f said key-operated contacts and being electrically connectabie with them; each relay in each of said second digit relay groups being provided with ten conta-cts, having two contact springs each, one contact spring of each contact being connected with a corresponding contact of one of the ten relays of said third digit relay group; a plurality of selective devices; and a jumperlng frame having two groups of terminals, one group of terminals being connected with the other contact spring of said relay contacts of the second digit relay groups, the other group of terminals being connected with said selective devices, whereby the position of the selective devices may be varied without changing the code number assigned thereto.

PETER LINCOLN LAW.

REFERENCES CI'rE The following references are of record in th fue of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS 

